Give Yourself Away by Barbara Elsborg Read Free Book Online Page B

into a farmer’s florid face.
    “You’re trespassing and you’ve freaked out my animals.”
    It was probably the most exciting thing to happen to the cows since their first moo escaped.
    “Sorry.” March pushed to his feet. “Slight miscalculation in wind direction.”
    “Get off my land.”
    March walked down the field to collect the kite, stuffing it into the backpack as he went. He’d fold it properly later.
    “That way.” The farmer pointed his stick toward a gate. March nodded his thanks and set off.
    It didn’t take him long to get to where he’d left his car. March tossed his backpack in the boot. He might as well shop while he was here. Since he hadn’t died or ended up in the hospital, there was still a requirement to have food in his fridge.
    He was doing okay until he saw a harassed-looking guy struggling to keep his toddler sitting in the cart. Crisps had been spilled and a half-peeled banana lay mashed against a bottle of washing liquid. The man grew more and more frustrated, promises turning to pleas and then threats. The kid held out a biscuit to March as he passed, the chocolate licked off. As March stopped, the man snatched it from the boy’s hand and flashed March an apologetic smile.
    The good work of the flight completely undone, March felt himself choked in depression. That guy with the kid could have been him, but he’d had his chance at a life with kids with Annabel and fucked it up. It was his own fault he was only shopping for himself.

Chapter Five
    Tye wriggled through the window and crawled out of the undergrowth into a dirt backyard. When he heard the bikes falling and Baxter groaning with pain, he squirmed back. “You okay?” he whispered.
    “Yes. Get away from here!”
    Baxter had told him to have a quick look around first, to get a feel for where he was, which direction he needed to go before he ran. Tye couldn’t see much from where he was crouched, apart from Liam’s van. He kept below the level of the windows and sidled around the house.
    No neighbors. The house was in the middle of the countryside. Tye didn’t recognize anything. Open fields lay on one side and a wood on the other. The drive would lead to a road but he’d be visible from the house if he went that way. Tye made for the wood. He sprinted through an overgrown lawn and clambered over a wall. As he raced into the trees he heard Liam yell, “Get back here.”
    Tye kept running. Baxter had told him that no matter what Liam said, what threats he made, what he said he’d do to Baxter or to him, Tye continuing to run was their only chance. But he could hear Liam coming up behind him, sounds of him crashing through the undergrowth. As fast as Tye was, he knew an adult could run faster, but maybe not for as long. Adrenaline kept him going until a fallen log brought him down.
    As Tye lay winded he could hear Liam calling him, telling him what he’d do to Baxter if Tye didn’t stop—cut off his cock, stuff it in his mouth, make him eat it.
    Liam was too close for Tye to risk running now, so he curled up behind a tree and closed his eyes, willing Liam to pass by, wishing they’d done this when it was darker. When he thought he could hear something at his back he began to shake. A breath of wind, but it was a windless day. A finger traced a path down the line of his neck onto his shoulder, and Tye froze.
    * * *
    After Mike had been whisked away by the paramedics, Caleb was escorted to the kitchen and subjected to a barrage of questions—how did he get the bruises on his face? What had they been arguing about? Why had he stabbed Mike? Ironic that what had happened in Caleb’s past allowed him to compartmentalize his situation now. He had his secrets locked away. Worse had happened to him. He could cope. He’d learned to cope.
    While crime scene officers suited in white overalls, paper shoes and latex gloves swarmed over the house, Caleb had gone over everything so many times with the police that night had